a -.if*» *?■ AS ir t ** 'rt ' »••OâMWW »-««» T he P ortland O bserver • A ugust 30, 1995 P age B3 (Elje ^lortlanb © bseruer TAIPiMEPiT National ComedySportz Teams Rally At Artquake The two teams shake hands and run to opposite sides o f the court, glowering at each other as the re f reviews the rules o f the game. After the national anthem, the battle be­ gins. This is no ordinary game. This is a battle o f wits, where wordplay and comedy are the name o f the game, and players can be thrown out for making the audience groan. This game is called ComedySportz, and now ComedySportz-Portland is go­ ing national, at this year’s Artquake. D uring the “ M oyer Theatres ComdeySportz Championships at A rtq u a k e ,” “ a ctle te s” fro m ComedySportz-Portland w ill battle wits against teams from Los Ange­ les, San Jose, and current comedy League o f America champs M ilw au­ kee, Wisconsin, September I -3 1995. This is the first year comedy has been part o f the Artquake festival, which is in its 19th year, and has become the largest arts festival in Oregon. In addition to comedy, Artquake w ill continue their agenda o f theatre, dance, film , visual arts, music, liter­ ary arts, fine crafts, and culinary arts. “ As the new, hot art form, we feel C om deySportz w ill add to Artquake’ s artistic agenda,” said Karen Whitman, festival director. The P o rtla n d C om de yS p ortz "actietes". “ While improv comedy often gets a bad rap, ComedySportz is consistent with all o f Artquake’ s values. They maintain a clean, family show, while providing artistic stimulation for the audience. The fact that this is a na­ tional tournament only adds to the excitement.” ComedySportz is clean, impro­ visational comedy perform ed by actletes, based on suggestions from th e ir audience. The o rig in a l ComdeySportz was started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it is now in more than 20 cities nation­ w id e . C o m e d y S p o rtz -P o rtla n d opened in A p ril o f 1993, and has just completed its 250th show. Teams from around the nation have been co m p e tin g in the ComedySportz national tournaments for the past eight years. The M ilw au­ kee and Los Angeles teams have won several tournaments in the past, and San Jose had been in the top five since 1993 P a tric k S h ort, fo u n d e r o f ComedySportz-Portland, said, “ Port­ land audiences are ready for the top level o f improv, and this is it. I have seeii and played against these teams since 1988, and know how good they are at what they do. Portland w ili have to be pt its best to stay compet­ itive. While we’re clearly the under­ dogs, we have the home field advan­ tage, and that’s a great recipe for fun. And after all, isn’ t fun what this is all about?” Sponsors o f the ‘Moyer The­ atres ComedySportz Championships at Artquake” are Coffee People, Con- tinental Airlines, K V O Advertising & Public Relations, M icro Account­ ing Systems, and Moyers Theatres. Perform ances w ill take place as follows: • Friday, September 1 at9:00 p.m. Portland vs. Milwaukee • Saturday, September 2 at 3;00 p.m. A ll Four teams • Saturday, September 2 at 8:00 p.m. San Jose vs. Milwaukee • Saturday, September 2 at 10:00 p.m. Portland vs. Los Angeles • Sunday, September 3 at Noon Championships (A ll four) Friday and Saturday evening performances w ill take place at the M oyer’ s L ittle Rosy Theatre, 1947 N W Kearney St., Portland, tickets are $7.00 in advance/ $8.00 at the door. Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Sun­ day noon performances w ill take place at the Dolores Winningstad Theatre at PCPA, 1111 SW Broad­ way at Main, Portland. Tickets are $4 00 in advance/ $5.00 at the door. For reservations or more informa­ tion, call 503-236-8888. Classes Start September 14th! Com edySportz Fall T ra in in g C am p: ComedySportz Portland is seeking a di verse, high-energy group o f individuals for its next beginning improv workshop series. Theatre, comedy or improv experience OK but not necessary - we are more inter­ ested in your attitude and dedication than your past. Players for our ongo­ ing paid performances w ill be select­ ed from the workshops. There is a charge for the workshop series, but payment plans are available and free admissions to our shows are includ­ ed. There are a limited number o f scholarships available. Please call Patrick or Ruth at 236-8888 for in­ formation and registration. Thank you for supporting Port­ land’s hottest comedy Improv! 12 EXPLOSIVE DANCE TRACKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD! club “P i c n i c B y T h e P o i n t s " The Oregon Convention Center invites Oregonians to celebrate its 5th anniversary at “ Picnic By The Points” , September 8,9 and 10,1995. The tw o day outdoor festival on Saturday and Sunday w ill transform the OCC parking lot into Oregon’ s largest picnic celebration, featuring fun activities for the whole fam ily (clowns, face painters, and OM SI hands-on science fair), a variety o f local Northeast neighborhood food booths, and mainstage entertainment with Portland’ s top blues and gospel artists, including Cascade Blues As­ sociation “ M uddy Awards” winners Paul deLay, Linda H ornbuckle, Janice Scroggins and Curtis Salgado. On Saturday versatile lady Linda Hombuckle sings the blues, but on Sunday she teams with Jan ice and the Youth Gospel Choir to close out the day. Watch fo r the complete blues and gospel line-up prior to the week­ end event. The hours are 12 noon until 9 p.m. w ith the building open for self-guided walk-arounds from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. A surprise birthday celebration w ith free cake w ill be held at the end o f the evening. “ Oregonians have made the Convention Center a huge success, so “ Picnic By the Points” is more than just a birthday party, it’ s our books, M ike Burton, and a special birthday celebration for everyone. The Portland Oregon Visitors Asso­ ciation is planning a fam trip in con­ junction with this event and the week­ end activities. A recently completed study com- missioned by the Oregon Depart­ ment o f Economic Development showed that the OCC business creat­ ed more than 6,000 jobs in 1994 and has had a five year local financial impact o f $1.46 billion. “ This is a case where reality has far surpassed all expectations,” said Blosser. “ Pic­ nic By The Points” w ill celebrate the successes o f the past five years and look forward to the next five.” Tickets on sale at F A S T IX X (subject to convenience charges) and at the gate the days o f the events. Proceeds from the nominal “ gate- charge” w ill benefit selected non­ profits in the North and Northeast neighborhoods adjacent to the Ore­ gon Convention Center. And you can leave your car at home - come to the Picnic on T ri-M et, show p ro o f o f your fare at the picnic and get a free ride home. The follow ing lines serve the OCC and Rose Quarter Transit Center across the street -- M A X , I Greeley, 4 Fessenden, 5 ,6 ,8 NE 15, 10 N E 33rd, 40 Mocks Crest, 41 way o f thanking our neighbors, local businesses and the entire region for making this all happen,” said Je ff Blosser, OCC Director. In addition to the weekend fes­ tivities, there w ill be a gala luncheon on Friday, September 8, at noon in the Bud Clark Ballroom titled “ W e’ ve proven Our Points” . Tables o f ten and individual tickets w ill be sold. The fun planned for the luncheon includes a video and a slide show, the Golden Point awards ceremony (def­ initely to compete with Oscar, Emmy and Tony) which w ill recognize those people or organizations who have helped put the OCC into the record Fremont, 63, 70, 77 and 91X. “ P ic n ic B y The P o in ts” is generously sponsored by Pepsi C o la , GES E x p o s itio n Services, T ri-M e t, N o rth w e s t N a tu ra l Gas, W id m e r B re w in g and D on W irfs and Associates. V in ta g e T ro lle y extended hours are co m p lim e n ts o f Red L io n L lo y d C enter. For more inform ation about “ Picnic By the Points” , please call Lynda Grice at 284-5293 or Nancy Goss Duran at 235-7709. Entertainment Line-Up • 5:30pm Linda Hornbuckle & Friends • 7pm Curtis Salgado Band • 8:45pm Birthday celebration Sunday, Sep. 10, A ll Gospel Day • I pm Portland Mass Choir tist Choir • 5pm Inspirational Sounds • 6pm Heavenbound • 7pm Tracey Harris • 8pm Linda Hornbuckle, Janice Scroggins and the Youth Gospel Choir • 9pm Birthday celebration FEATURING THE SMASH HITS SCATMAN (SKI-BA-BOP-BA-DOP-BOP) AND MACARENA " LOOking For The Best Value In Advertising? c |l ^ o rtlan b ffibserucr (BAYSIDE BOYS MIX) Find it w herever FIERCE LOS ANGELES, SAN JOSE A N D MILWAUKEE TAKE O N PORTLAND IN THE FIRST NATIONAL TOURNAM ENT OF COMEDY EVER HELD IN THE CITY OF dance m usic is Sold STOP COMEDïSrWTZ not just another dance compilation $ 7 c tite M O YER T H IA T R IS COMEDYSPORTZ CH AM PIO N SH IPS IM P R O V COMEDY AS A SPORTING EVENT. AT ARTQUAKB, SATURDAY S IP T 2 AT 3 : 0 0 P M A SUNDAY SEPT 3 AT N O O N W INNINGSTAD THIATRS • PCPA • 1 1 1 1 SW BROADWAY $ 3 AT THB DO O R, A U AGES WELCOME. CALL 5 0 3 - 3 3 6 - 8 8 8 8 FOR IN FO R M A TIO N . ■■OUOHT TO TOW BY M O Y IR T M U T R U , c o m a N O R U , contimwtal a ir u n u , m m , laziroukk AND KVO ADVIRTM INO i PICNIC BYTHE Join In Celebrating 31^ parttani* • 2pm Golden Eagles • 3pm Portland M etropolitan Youth Mass Choir • 4pm New Rope Missionary Bap­ Saturday, Sept. 9, A ll Blues Day • 12 noon The Paul deLay Band • 2pm Paulette *N Power • 3pm Jim Mesi & Jim Mesi Band • 4:30 Norman Sylvester Band POINTS SEPT 9 & 1 O 1 9 9 5 C o n v r n tic 5 th fíiith r in y C r J e b r a tio n EAST PORTLAND 32N D & E. 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